A red spotlight in the darkness, blindingly bright. An outlined hood cloaking the monocular face. Red text scrolls up into black nothingness behind the figure, from the abyss below.


    “You will be integrated with the Civilization aligned settlement of Masstaoir.” A flat, mechanical voice echoes. I would say it’s coming from the figure in front of me, but it sounds like it’s coming from all around me. Maybe from inside my own head.


    “I’m sorry, what?” I ask. “How did I get here? Where… What is this place?” My voice sounds unnatural, faint and hollow.


    “Everything is in the contract you signed. We do not have the time for me to explain. Here.” The figure raises a hand, barely visible under its overwhelmingly bright gaze. The red eye illuminates the harsh edges of its square palm, as words appear hovering over it. Faster than my eyes could possibly keep up with, a wall of text flies by, terminating with the phrase “By using this service you agree to the terms above” they close their hand before I have the chance to read more. “Now… Your designation is Urul Mulush. You are a male of the Orc species. You will be a common rarity armor merchant with the ability to repair equipment.”


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    “Stop stop stop, what the hell are you talking about?” I raise my hand, or at least I try to. It is at this moment I realize I don’t have one. I don’t have a body at all. I scream. I don’t hear it reverberate in my head, or feel the air escaping from my lungs, or my throat getting hoarse. I don’t feel anything at all, I am nothing.


    “You will be muted if you do not cease that noise.” The robed figure’s gaze becomes a thin horizontal beam, as if it is scowling at me.


    I stop screaming, not breathless but wishing desperately that I was.


    “Good. Now, as I was saying. You will provide a location for repair and item sale for Players in the lower district of Masstaoir. You will also make common-quality armor available for purchase. Though you will not see much traffic. It is necessary that one vendor capable of repair is available every one hundred squares within a settlement.” The voice sounds irritated by this fact.


    “I’m still so lost.”


    The figure turns away, light sweeping across the empty space, revealing nothing at all. The further away they get, the darker everything becomes. Even the ascending text dims. I frantically try to focus on the text before it’s completely gone as my vision begins to fade.